Africa CDC and Mastercard Foundation launch phase 2 of the Saving Lives and Livelihoods (SLL) initiative to strengthen Africa’s public health systems
- Africa CDC and Mastercard Foundation launch phase 2 of SLL initiative
- Partnership aims to strengthen Africa's public health systems
- Phase 1 achieved vaccination rate of 53% and trained 38,000 health workers
Mastercard Foundation
LUSAKA, ZAMBIA - African Media Agency - 29 November 2023 - The Africa CDC and the Mastercard Foundation have entered a new phase of
their partnership on the Saving Lives and Livelihoods initiative in the aftermath of WHO's declaration of the end of COVID-19 pandemic as a public health emergency of international concern.
The Saving Lives and Livelihoods initiative, a bold and unprecedented $1.5 billion partnership, was launched in June 2021. This innovative and ground-breaking partnership aimed to purchase
COVID-19 vaccines, roll out vaccinations, build the vaccine manufacturing workforce for the continent, and strengthen the Africa CDC to ensure long-term health security for
Africa. |
Unprecedented in scale, speed and inclusion of African organisations, the partnership has contributed to the continent's current vaccination
rate of 53 per cent of the target population, up from just 3 per cent at the start of the initiative. The partnership has also trained, equipped, and deployed 38,000 health workers, creating a
robust frontline in safeguarding public health locally. It has provided job opportunities for 23,000 individuals and integrated over 600 COVID-19 vaccination centres into healthcare systems.
Additionally, this initiative led to the expansion of genomic testing capabilities from seven to 40 laboratories across the continent.
The review of Phase 1 of this initiative, among fifteen implementing partners across 29 countries, conducted by Deloitte, indicates that the
vast majority of funds disbursed were used effectively and as intended. Likewise, ongoing monitoring by KPMG has confirmed that partners not only showed strength in programmatic results but also
improved the institutional capacity for greater sustainability and institutional resilience.